The SS London
by K8prince
Summary: The crew of the SS London finds the wreckage of the SS Serenity. BBC Sherlock characters in the Firefly universe.
1. Chapter 1

"Keep her steady, Anderson."  
"You don't need to tell me. I know what to do."

Greg Lestrade stood behind his pilot, Philip Anderson, as they flew silently through the wreckage in their bullet shaped spaceship. Shreds of metal drifted past them. Lestrade watched as one traveled up the windshield, leaning back his head until the shrapnel hit part of his spaceship and spiraled off in a different direction. It was eerily silent, not just because they were in space, but because their interments were not picking up any readings. Sally Donovan, Lestrade's first mate, seemed to realize this.

"Anderson, how far do you have your radar set to?"

He glanced at one of the dials on the dashboard. "A three mile radius."

They fell silent again, watching the decimated spaceship trickle by.

"Three miles and no one else here?" Donovan sighed.

They were getting closer to the origin of the explosion now. Different kinds of junk filtered by them now. Part of a chair floated by along with the door to a refrigerator.

"Firefly class."

The three people spun their heads around. Leaning up against the doorway was a man with dark curly hair and a long black coat.

"Sherlock! How long have you been standing there?" Donovan demanded. She would not admit it, but she had jumped violently when Sherlock had spoken.

Sherlock gave a sideways smile. He had seen her jump. "Just a few minutes," he replied. "You really should be a bit more aware of your surroundings. Good thing you aren't the pilot, though if you were it wouldn't make much difference."

"Do you have something you want to say?" Lestrade asked, running his fingers through his graying hair.

"Yes, of course I do." He walked forward, standing as far forward as the compact space allowed him, squishing up between Anderson and the dashboard. Anderson made a noise that was the combination of disgust and annoyance, leaning to the right to see around the tall man.

Sherlock's eyes darted back and forth across the scene before him. He took a breath, and began.

"This wasn't an explosion, like it was reported. See that shrapnel there?" He pointed a little to the left. "It clearly has scratches on the anterior. And it looks pulled, not pushed open. Something forced the panel off. There, those plates. If there was an explosion, the location of the kitchen in regards to the engine, where the explosion most likely took place, should be smashed to pieces. They're whole. These books we're about to pass. In an explosion they'd be burnt, but they're not. It was not an accident that this ship was damaged. It was planned. Premeditated."

"How could you know that-" Anderson scoffed, but was cut short. Just then the ship came into view. A hole was torn in the side, bits of debris still clung to the jagged cuts.

"He never fails," Lestrade murmured.

Another man walked onto the bridge. "How's it going?" He asked.

"Brilliantly John, I just discovered that the ship didn't explode but was pulled open, causing the interior to be sucked out into the vacuum of space." Sherlock replied, almost gleefully.

"Uh huh, I see. Well, uh, what's the plan?"

"Figure out who or what did this," Lestrade stated.

"Captain, we can see the name of the ship," Anderson spoke up.

"What is it?"

"It looks like…" Anderson tried to peer through the space junk.

"Serenity," Sherlock breathed.

"No…" A look of dread settled on John's face.

"What? Do you know that ship?" Donovan asked.

"I fought alongside the captain in the Valley of Serenity," John nearly whispered.

"So it's an Independence ship," Anderson sneered.

"Hey, good people live on that ship," John replied, keeping his voice level.

"You mean lived," Donovan corrected. "I don't know anyone who could live through that."

"You don't know Captain Reynolds."


	2. Chapter 2

Anderson brought the SS London around and connected it with the Serenity while the rest filed out of the Bridge and down to the Cargo Bay. They joined five of Lestrade's troops at the hatch and proceeded to don spacesuits.

Lestrade strapped a gun to his waist. "Alright, the plan is to go in, locate any evidence-"

"Find survivors," John interrupted.

"—And return here to go over any and all data we find and figure out what happened," Lestrade finished, giving John a slight glare.

"Survivors," Donovan scoffed.

"The crew could have survived if they were within a sealed area during the time of the attack, the bridge or the shuttles for example," Sherlock stated, pulling on his helmet.

"So make sure to knock before opening a door," one of Lestrade's officers spoke up.

A couple chuckles filtered through the group as Lestrade made his way to the com.

"Anderson, what's the status?"

"All free to go sir," he responded.

"Any sign of life?"

"That's a negative sir."

Sherlock stepped forward. "Anderson, what do you have your radar set to?"

"Why should I-"

"Just answer the question," Lestrade groaned.

"General scan with a three mile radius, sir."

"Set it to a quarter mile and concentrate it," Sherlock commanded. He heard the protest beginning and cut Anderson off. "I've been experimenting with the wiring and a few of the settings are currently inaccurate. Just do as I say."

Lestrade sighed and rubbed his forehead. Why was everything so complicated?

Static came across the com along with Anderson swearing.

Lestrade slowly turned and glared at Sherlock who simply said, "Interesting."

"Oh for goodness sake, can we go now? Please?" John demanded.

Lestrade fastened his helmet, made sure everyone was ready, and opened the door to the hatch. The crew filed into the cramped space between the two spaceships. Donovan shut the door Lestrade looked around once more before releasing the pressure in the hatch. A loud hissing sound filled the room, then silence and zero gravity. Lestrade opened the door to Serenity's cargo bay. His five officers went in first, followed by John, Sherlock, Donovan, and Lestrade taking up the rear. They looked around to gather their bearings. The cargo bay was almost completely empty, save the larger boxes that had been tied down. They could see half the enormous hole, the other half being over the kitchen.

"You know what to do," Lestrade's voice came through the com. He, Donovan, and two of his officers continued forward while Sherlock, John and the other three officers went up the staircase.

"I'll check the hole," Sherlock stated, pushing off and floating towards it.

John nodded and went aft with two officers while the last followed Sherlock.

Sherlock reached the hole and grabbed on to the jagged edges. At first glance they were all pulled out, but a few pushed in. Odd. He stuck his head out of the opening. Nothing out of the ordinary. Wait, there. A few feet below him were two shallow, rectangular dents, their short sides almost touching. He rotated till he could see the shell of the ship above him. To his left and right were identical dents. Something had landed here. He chuckled quietly.

"Found anything yet?" John's voice crackled through the com.

"No one yet," Lestrade answered.

"Negative," Donovan replied.

"Yes, they were definitely attacked," Sherlock said. "Some sort of craft landed here and tore it open."

"What, the hole?"

"Honestly, Donovan. How you even know left from right is a miracle," Sherlock muttered.

He pushed away and floated to one of the shuttles. He would need a better look at the anterior of the ship. He peered through the window, knocking loudly. A hand slammed against the window, causing him to jump. Then a face. She was pretty, with dark curly hair and large eyes. She looked terrified but relieved.

"I found a survivor. She's a companion."


	3. Chapter 3

Sherlock and the companion stared at each other for a few seconds.

"A survivor? Where?" Donovan asked.

"In the starboard shuttle," Sherlock replied.

"She's lucky," John said.

"So what do we do with her?" Donovan asked Lestrade.

"Sherlock, tell her to stay put and that we'll tow her to a place where she can exit safely," Lestrade told Sherlock as a reply.

Sherlock tapped on the door, making sure she was watching, and tapped out a short message in Morse code. Her expression clearly stated she had no idea what he was doing. He sighed and asked her "Do you read lips?" Her head tilted slightly, her eyes squinting. A good sign. Sherlock stepped back so she could see more of him. Slowly, he mimed as well as speaking, "Do. You," he pointed at her. "Read. Lips," he pointed to his lips. Slowly, she shook her head. She had not understood. Sherlock sighed and looked around. He saw some paper floating not too far away. He turned back to her and held up his hands, motioning her to stay put, and pushed off towards the paper. He found a small shred of metal and tore the words, "I'm here to save you," into the paper. He floated back over to the door and pressed the note to the glass. He peeked through the letters and saw she was nodding. As he took the paper down she motioned him to stay where he was and ran out of view. A few moments later she pressed a note to her side of the window. "More people on the bridge."  
She pulled the note away and Sherlock nodded. He then turned, and headed for the bridge.

"She said there were more people on the bridge. I'm heading there now," Sherlock told the others.

"Well there's no one down here," John stated. "I've checked the engine room, every cabinet, and—AHHH!" His scream cut his sentence short.

"John?" Sherlock spun around in the doorway.

Silence.

"John!" He took a step in the direction John had gone, about to break out in a run.

"I'm alright! I'm alright. I'm fine."

Lestrade swore as Sherlock to a deep breath.

"What the heck happened?" Donovan asked.

"The antigrav still works in some places apparently," John replied. "I was floating by the ceiling and suddenly, I fell."

They fell silent and Sherlock turned back and headed for the bridge. He entered the kitchen, giving it a quick glance. The top section of the hole peeked out above the floor. His eyes wandered to the ceiling, where another hole caught his eye. Strange, why would there be two holes? He floated up towards it. This one was small, compared to the gaping rip on the other side of the ship, the diameter slightly smaller than the width of his forearm. The metal around the hole was pealed inward in sharp, jagged edges. He put his head in front of the hole, looking out at the kitchen. He figured that something harpoon like had been used to pierce the ship's shell, the dent in the floor directly below him confirmed this, and keep it in place while another machine tore open the other side. He turned back to the hole, focusing on the edges. There, at the twelve and six o'clock positions were rectangular dents from the inside. The harpoon, once inside the ship, must have opened up wings of a sort to resemble a pick axe. The harpoon was then reeled back into the ship it was fired from. Who are these people? What enemies have they made? Dangerous ones by the look of it.

He pushed off the wall to the doorway leading to the bridge. The door was closed. He knocked loudly then looked through the window. He could not see very far through the hazy window, but he could just make out a body coming towards him. A face appeared in the window. He had dark hair, a large head, and an angry expression. The man looked dangerous. Sherlock pressed the note to the window. Through the letters he saw the man squint at the wording, then turn and call someone. A woman with dark skin and curly hair took the man's place in the window and read the note. Sherlock took the note down. She nodded and motioned him to stay put. A few moments later she held her own message up to the window.

"Count to ten, then enter."

The note disappeared along with the woman.

Sherlock began counting.


	4. Chapter 4

Three.

Two.

One.

Sherlock strained against the wheel that locked the door. The firefly class had doors that could be unlocked from either side, usually without any issue. Sherlock pushed the wheel harder. The difference in pressure was causing the door to stick. Slowly, the wheel started to give. If the antigrav had been working, he would have just moved to the other side and pulled down, using his weight to his advantage. It suddenly gave, spinning rapidly and sending Sherlock floating upward. With no pressure keeping the door shut, it swung open, banging against the wall. He pushed off the ceiling and landed back on the floor, walked through the doorway, and yanked the door shut. After he had securely locked it, he turned around clockwise and came face to face with the barrel of a gun.

It was the man again. Tall, tough, mean looking. At first glance he was typical hired muscle. But Sherlock knew better. His feet planted firmly apart, this man had training, possibly military upbringing. Sherlock glanced at his shoes. No, not military. They were about as dirty as one could get them. His clothes were for comfort and mobility, his sleeveless shirt would stay out of his way when he was throwing a punch, which he probably did often. The orange and yellow hat pulled firmly down on his head was handmade. Probably his mother, who he obviously loved. The gun was very well taken care of. One look at the man's face told Sherlock that he was a follower, not a leader. Although he had strong opinions how things ought to be led.

Two seconds had passed since he had turned around.

He looked over to his right. He made eye contact with a double barreled gun. The woman was obviously military. The way she held herself and the gun said she fought for the Independence, and a high ranking. Her necklace was peculiar, three straps of leather around her neck. Probably signifying something. Her family perhaps? People she had lost in the war? Her clothing were practical, made of material that did not need to be washed as often as other materials. Her hair was tied back as well, to be kept out of the way but still look good. Her gun was kept perfectly clean, ready for use. This woman could lead if she chose to, but it appeared she preferred to follow. Her piercing eyes had seen horrors one could hardly imagine.

Two more seconds had passed since he had analyzed the man.

Sherlock turned and faced the man coming towards him. Tall, short hair, determined expression. His walk, his clothing, the weapon in its holster on the man's side; this was the captain. The woman took a half step over to let the captain have a clearer view of Sherlock. The man to Sherlock's left did not move.

"Take off the helmet," the captain ordered. His voice was steady, in charge.

Sherlock complied.

"Who are you?" the captain asked. "And why are you here."

"My name is Sherlock Holmes. I'm a consulting detective and live aboard the Space Station England. The captain received a tip that a ship exploded out here so he sent a few of his officers, and me, to check it out. We took a scout ship and came here to look for survivors. We're here to rescue you." Sherlock decided to keep from asking questions just yet. He did not know if either one of the people pointing guns at his head were trigger happy or not.

"Space Station England?" the captain asked.

"Sounds Alliance to me, Cap," the man to Sherlock's left spoke up.

"Not now Jayne."

Jayne stopped talking.

"Do you think he's one of Niskas?" the girl whispered to the captain. Sherlock could not hear her, but he could read lips.

"I don't know Zoe. He could be."

"Should we shoot 'im?" Jayne asked.

Sherlock decided he had better speak up. "Captain Reynolds—"

The captain snapped his focus back on Sherlock.

"It is Captain Reynolds. I know John Watson. He said he served with you in the Valley of Serenity."

"You know Watson?" Mal asked. Sherlock could hear the suspicion in his voice.

Sherlock rolled his eyes and grabbed the com out of his helmet. "John, do you read me?"

"I can hear you Sherlock. What's going on?"

"I found Malcom Reynolds."

"You did? Is he alive?" John's anticipated voice came through.

Sherlock held out the com for Mal to take.

He took it. He hesitated, then said, "Dr. Watson. Is that you?"

"Sergeant Reynolds! It's good to know you're still alive."

"And you. However, as much as I would like it to be, this is no time for chitchat. We need to get to a port where we can fix up my boat. Can you arrange that Doc?"

"I'll see what I can do."

Mal was about to hand the com back when John suddenly said, "Oh, and no matter what Sherlock says or does, try not to shoot him."

"Thank you John," Sherlock stated quickly, taking the com from Mal and began replacing it in his helmet.

"Try not to shoot you, huh?" Zoe asked. "What's that about?"

Sherlock took a breath to answer when Lestrade's voice came over the com.

"We found two survivors in the medical bay!"

The whole crew seemed to sigh with relief.

"That's everyone accounted for, Captain," Zoe smiled.

A girl with engine grease on her overalls cheered.

Their smiles froze with Lestrade's next sentence.

"They're the two fugitives we've been looking for."


	5. Chapter 5

The bridge was instantly silent. Sherlock could almost feel the dread that hung over the room.

"They got Simon and River," the young girl in the overalls stated as if in shock.

Sherlock glanced in her direction. _They had the Tam's?_

"Now, now, Kaylee," a man wearing simple clothing, probably a Shepard, comforted the girl. "The captain will think of something."

No one spoke. The captain glanced around, taking stock of the people and assets at his disposal.

"Right, Captain?" The Shepard asked.

"Darn right I will," Mal stated. He turned to Sherlock. "What's the plan for getting us out of here?"

Sherlock maintained eye contact. "The London will tow Serenity to the Space Station England. There, she will be pulled into an airtight dock which will then be pressurized, allowing us to walk about Serenity freely despite the damage."

"And then where do we go? Our ship needs fixing."

They continued to eye each other. Finally, Sherlock took a breath and told them what they already knew. "You have been found guilty of harboring fugitives. Once you are safely off the ship, you will be handed over to the England authorities and placed in a holding cell until they decide what to do with you."

"Well," Mal held out his arms, motioning to his crew. "You can see that I ain't about to let that happen."

"Um, Captain?" A blond man asked nervously. "What _are_ you going to do because, in case you forgot, standing right there is an Alliance Fed."

"I haven't forgot, Wash."

"Then what do you plan to do?" Sherlock asked. Sherlock already knew the most likely course of action; he asked the question so that Captain Mal would realize it. They only had so long before it was too late to act.

When Mal did not answer, Zoe asked, "Captain?"

"I don't rightly know," Mal stated quickly. He turned and paced a bit.

"What about your friend? Dr. Watson?" The Shepard asked.

"How can he help?" Jayne demanded. "He's one of them!"

"John Watson only works for the Alliance because he needed a job, not because he's on their side," Sherlock was getting excited now. He could see the thoughts flashing across Mal's face. Plans were being discarded, thoughts being improved on. The way the Captain glanced at Sherlock told the detective that Mal was not planning on killing him. The speed of his pace said he was not going down without a fight. As the man moved he dipped his shoulders every now and then. Only three options were open in Malcom Reynolds' mind.

"John would probably go along with you if he thought he could," Sherlock watched the Captain come to a stop. A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as Mal turned to look at him.

One option left. The plan was set.

"Zoe, knock him out."

A swift step and the butt of the gun fell against his head. Pain, flashing lights, the floor, and darkness. His body crumpled to the floor.

Zoe let out a breath, eying Sherlock to make sure he stayed down. She knew he would. She never failed.

"I'm assuming there's a plan?" Shepard asked.

Mal glanced around at his crew, meeting everyone's eyes. "Well we've got ourselves a hostage, and that's a start."

"… Mal?... Co—Al?" The radio in the cockpit crackled to life.

Wash jumped up and grabbed the microphone. "Inara? Inara, come in."

"That blasted radio finally working?" Jayne yelled up to Wash, his gun still pointed at the unconscious hostage. Just in case.

"Not really," Wash replied. Kaylee and Shepard walked up next to Wash, followed closely by Mal.

"Inara, what's the word?"

"Someone's –ing. Is—there yet?"

"Yes, he's here."

"Inara, try smackin' the radio with the heal of your hand," Kaylee spoke up.

Crackle SMACK static. "Can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear, Inara," Wash smiled.

"Finally. Please tell me you have a plan?"

"We do," Mal confirmed.

"Make it quick. I don't know how much longer this thing will work."

"Okay, we're being moved to an airtight dock so we can walk about without exploding and such. The Feds found River and the Doc so we're all fugitives now."

"So we weren't before?"

"Don't interrupt. We've got ourselves a hostage so we're going to use him to our advantage and try our best to stay out of any kind of cell. We've got another Fed that I fought with that might swap sides. I'm thinking, we come out all submissive like, find Simon and River, pull our weapons and push them out of our ship. Then, if Watson joins our side, we can say we've got two hostages and we'll only let them go if they give us a ship and let us make a clean getaway."

"Along with Serenity I assume."

"Correct."

"And if they refuse?"

"Then… You talk with them. Offer to, I don't know, do their hair."

"Their hair," she asked sarcastically.

"I don't—One problem at a time. You asked for the plan, there it is."

The whole ship jerked suddenly. They were being towed.

"Uh, Cap? This guy's starting to wake up!" Jayne called out.

"Mal?" Inara asked. Static was beginning to creep back.

"Yeah?"

"Try not to die."


	6. Chapter 6

**(Author's Note: Thank you for reading and following my story! It makes me happy. If you have any questions please feel free to ask in a review.)**

Sherlock shook himself awake. His hands were tied behind his back and his gun had been taken. He looked up Mal, Zoe, and Jayne who were standing around him. His eyes wandered over the rest of the crew. All were armed. A jolt ran through the ship.

"We're here," Mal muttered.

Sherlock's com crackled to life. "Alright Sherlock, you're all free to come down."

Mal aimed his gun at Sherlock's face and nodded to the com.

"Thank you Lestrade. We'll be down in a moment," Sherlock answered.

Mal tossed the com to Kaylee who turned it off. He turned back to Sherlock and said, "Okay Sherlock, here's how this is going to play out. You do as we say, and we won't shoot you. Got it?"

Sherlock smirked and Jayne lifted him to his feet.

"Now you're going to tell us what we need to know. How many people do we need to worry about and how many are armed?"

"How about we trade information," Sherlock asked. "I answer your question, you answer mine."

Mal gave a sarcastic laugh.

"Cap, we don't got a lot of time," Zoe cautioned.

Mal stopped laughing. "Fine. You answer first."

Sherlock smiled. "One this ship right now are five officers, Captain Lestrade, his first mate Donovan, and John. All eight are armed. The five officers will probably still have their helmets on, so attacking from the back is the best option. Lestrade is a fairly decent shot when surprised but only slightly better when he knows you're coming. Donovan has the habit of making sure it's an enemy first before shooting, which gives you the advantage in an ambush." He paused. "And John. He's one of the best when he's not expecting to have to fight, and even better when he is.

"Now you tell me," he continued, "how long have the Tams been on this ship?"

"We just picked them up. Now move," Mal motioned with his gun for Sherlock to walk. Jayne opened the door and Sherlock stepped through.

"Don't fight unless you have to," Mal murmured as he stepped through the doorway to three behind him. Kaylee, Wash, and Shepard nodded. The rest of the crew filed out after him. They were just entering the cargo bay when Mal untied Sherlock's hands and commanded, "Act like you're leading us. Don't say anything to tip anyone off. Got it?"

"I understand. Why don't you believe John will come with you?"

Mal was taken by surprise, a common response to Sherlock deducing things.

"The way you tensed when I mentioned John's shooting abilities is more than enough to tell me you don't trust him. Why?"

Mal regained composure. "Just keep walking."

Sherlock stopped and turned to face the captain. All three guns now in front of him zeroed in on his chest and face. He was undaunted. "You said you would trade information. Answer the question."

Mal's eyes remained focused on Sherlock's. "He swapped sides when the going got tough. I haven't seen him since Serenity Valley. I have no reason to trust him. Now walk."

Sherlock turned back around and they entered the cargo bay. Down by the door Lestrade stood next to Donovan. John was up by Inara's shuttle, which for some reason was still shut, and all five officers were slowly escorting the Tams towards the exit.

Kaylee gave a small gasp. It was almost too late.

Mal took a step forward onto the catwalk. Just then River turned her head, looked directly at him, and fell to the ground.

"River!" Simon knelt down by her as the officers all aimed their weapons at the siblings. Mal suddenly pushed Sherlock to the railing, forced him to his knees, and pressed the gun to his head. Zoe came up behind Mal as Jayne grabbed John. He struggled, pulling his gun, but Jayne knocked it from his hands and forced the doctor to his knees.

Lestrade gave a shout, drawing his weapon and aiming at Mal. Donovan pulled hers and aimed for Jayne. Four of the officers looked up, startled by Lestrade's shout.

River's eyes snapped open and, in one swift movement, jumped up and took the gun from the officer still focused on her. Using his weapon, she knocked him unconscious and kicked the legs out from under two of the other officers. She jumped back behind a box, pulling Simon with her, and kept the gun trained on Lestrade, who was now aiming for her.

Everybody stood frozen.

So as it stood; one of the officers aimed at Zoe who was aimed at Donovan who aimed at Jayne who aimed at John who was unarmed. Lestrade and River aimed at each other. The other officer aimed at Mal who aimed at Sherlock who was unarmed. Two officers were still down and one was unconscious. Wash, Kaylee, and Shepard were ducked behind the doorway.

It was at this moment that Inara stepped out of her shuttle nest to Jayne.

The two downed officers grabbed their weapons and pointed them at the companion. Mal took his gun and aimed at them. Zoe put her gun to Sherlock's head and Wash jumped up and aimed at the officer aiming at Zoe. Jayne shoved John flat on his face, putting his boot on his back, and aimed at the officers aiming at Inara.

Nobody breathed.

After a few tense moments of silence, Lestrade spoke up. "Everybody calm down. We can do this peacefully. Now let's just all lower our weapons, slowly."

No one moved.

"Just tell them," River shouted up at Mal.

The captain rolled his eyes slightly and began. "From one Captain to another, I want you off this boat. I want you to go away peacefully, with your guns in their holsters. And I want a ship, since this one's not very space worthy. Got that?"

"Are you making demands?" Donovan asked, not buying it.

"Well they do have two hostages," Sherlock muttered.

"So you're asking for us to let you get away?" Lestrade stated.

"Uh, yeah. That about sums it up."

"I'd listen to him, Sir," Wash told Lestrade. "These people are crazy. And trigger happy. Not a good combination." He glanced at Zoe who raised an eyebrow. "All accept you, dear."

"Thanks, Honey."

Lestrade hesitated, weighing the options. His weapon remained on River but he was focused on Mal.

"I say use formation five," Donovan whispered to Lestrade.

"No good, we'd lose Sherlock and maybe John."

River rolled her eyes, sick of the indecisiveness. She gracefully hopped up on a box and flipped through the air, landing behind Lestrade. Wrapping her arm around his neck, she pulled him off balance, pressing her gun to his temple. Donovan jumped back and aimed for River. Before her sights were even lined up River had the gun centered at Donovan's forehead.

"Go," River stated, walking backwards to make a clear path to the door.

"Do as she says!" Lestrade croaked, grabbing at the arm wrapped around his throat.

Donovan glanced from Lestrade to River to the rest of the crew before slowly backing out of the door.

River then aimed at the officers.

"Go, just go," Lestrade choked out.

The four officers cautiously stood and backed out the door, keeping their weapons trained on whoever they were aiming at. When the last on left, River threw Lestrade out of Serenity and shoved the door closed and locked it.

The crew dropped their weapons, except Zoe who kept hers on Sherlock.

Wash looked around. "Well that was fun!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: This story takes place somewhere between the TV show Firefly and the Movie Serenity. If you're not completely caught up with Sherlock you might not understand a few things. I don't know where this story will end up, but I will use anything I can from the entire show so far. Thank you again for reading this. Scene suggestions are welcome. **

"So what next, Captain?" Zoe asked. Her gun was still pressed against Sherlock's head.

Mal stood there silently, absorbing the situation. After a moment he replied, "Well, we've got to hold Serenity. Keep the feds out at all costs." Pointing at each person, he gave his orders. "Jayne, you scout around, see if they can get in anywhere. Kaylee, go check the engine, see what sort of shape she's in. Shepard, go see what survived in the kitchen. Zoe—"

Gun fire erupted in the kitchen as Kaylee screamed. Mal rushed in as Kaylee ran out, covering her ears.

Mal muttered something in Chinese as he discovered the Alliance officers firing through the gaping hole in the wall.

"Jayne!" Mal shouted, taking cover behind the table as he fired at the officers. He heard Jayne yell something as an officer began climbing though the opening.

Mal stole a glance over his shoulder. Wash and Shepard were hiding behind the doorway and shooting at the officers. Jayne was nowhere to be seen.

"Jayne, where are you?" Mal shouted as a bullet smacked into the table a breath away from Mal's head. He turned back to the attackers and shot one.

Suddenly something small soared through the air and through the hole.

"What in—"

The grenade exploded.

The gun fire abruptly stopped.

Before they had a chance to recover, Mal and Jayne ran over to the hole, pushing the body of a fallen officer out. Mal looked around.

"Get something to block the hole!" he yelled at no one in particular.

Jayne ran out of the kitchen. He returned shortly, along with Shepard, with a weapons chest. They dragged it in front of the hole, successfully sealing the opening. Mal stepped back and let out a breath.

"Are we done with the excitement now?" Wash called out.

Mal turned to look at the doorway. Sherlock and John walked through, hands on their heads, followed by Zoe and Wash. They lead the hostages to the head of the table, keeping their weapons trained on them.

"Because I'm done with the excitement."

"I hope so Wash, but we'd better make sure. Kaylee, you alright?"

Kaylee, who stood in the doorway, nodded.

"Alright. I still need you to check the engine. Jayne'll go with you, keep you safe."

She nodded again.

"Zoe, Wash, I need you two here to keep an eye on them," he motioned to John and Sherlock.

The married couple nodded as Simon and River walked through the doorway.

"Shepard I need you to take inventory of our supplies. What's still usable, what's not—"

"Sherlock Holmes?" Simon gasped.

Everyone turned to Simon, then Sherlock.

"You… two know each other?" Mal asked.

River walked to the other side of the table, across from Sherlock, next to a chair that had somehow survived. In one smooth motion, she stepped on the chair, to the table, and across the table until she stood right in front of Sherlock. They stared at each other for a moment before River gracefully wrapped her arms around Sherlock's neck. Sherlock went ridged for a moment before dropping his arms from his head to around River. John let his arms drop too, an expression of confusion and surprise on his face. Mal had the same expression, though he was staring at River.

"Well that's just weird," Jayne muttered.

Sherlock and River stood frozen a moment longer before she smoothly turned around, walked across the table, to the chair, to the floor, and back to Simon.

The crew continued to stare wide-eyed at River and Sherlock.

Simon cleared his throat. "Yes, I know him. He helped me break River out of the Academy."

Mal wordlessly pointed at Sherlock, then River, as he stared at Simon.

"Um, Sherlock," John murmured, "Who is she?"

"She was a prisoner, a lab rat," Sherlock replied. "They were going to destroy her unnaturally intelligent brain. Mr. Tam came to me asking for help about two years ago. I took the case. Helped them escape. Oh, John, it was a thrilling case," Sherlock turned to his friend. "One of the best. It's where I met Him."

They stared at each other for a moment, Sherlock suddenly excited and John confused.

"I'm sorry… Who?"

"Moriarty," River stated.

Sherlock's gaze was suddenly on her. "How…" then he stopped. He smiled and then chuckled. "So they accomplished their goal." He leaned forward, placing his hands flat against the table. "You're psychic."

River stared back blankly.

"Cap, what's the plan?" Jayne spoke up. "I'm tired of all this chit-chat."

"Agreed," Mal replied. "Same plan. Jayne and Kaylee, go check the engine. Shepard, check our supplies. Zoe, lock these two somewhere then check our cargo. Wash, go with her. Doc, check the infirmary. Take River if you want. Everyone else stay here.

The crew went to their tasks. Zoe led Sherlock into a closet and locked the door. Wash locked John in a closet across the hall.

"Alright Honey, I'm going to check the cargo." She handed him the keys to the closets. "Keep these two here. Got it?"

Wash saluted her with a grin on his face.

She rolled her eyes and left.

Kaylee walked into the engine room, glanced around, then walked to the engine. She opened the cover and slowly spun the engine around, carefully looking over every part. Jayne surveyed the room as well, deemed it safe, and guarded the door.

"Well for once there's nothin' wrong with her," Kaylee said happily, closing the cover. She went over to the life support system and various other machines. "Hmm. Well, the inclinometer is cracked, but that don't matter much. Not with a hole torn in Serenity's side anyway. Oh good! The Dynamometer's workin. Shiny! Oh, but the center coil's shot."

"Do you mind?" Jayne asked irritably. "I could go without your yappin."

Kaylee's face fell, but she went on without a word.

Shepard took note of everything in the kitchen. Most of the food drawers had been locked which had kept the contents safe. A couple, however, had been unlocked. Whatever had been in those had been sucked out into space. They would have to pick up supplies a day earlier than usual, but they would survive.

Simon and River walked into the infirmary.

"This is pointless," River complained.

"Why is that?"

"We were sealed in. Nothing got out."

"That's a good point. Yes. But, I'm going to check and see if we need anything anyway."

River rolled her eyes and while Simon was not looking she walked away.

"You're right, everything's here and—River?"

Zoe checked every box of cargo they had. The main supplies they used to live on had been belted down, so it had remained. She walked briskly to the hideaway by the stairs, the one used for smuggling. She sighed as she discovered the cover had been ripped away, along with the cargo. The Captain was not going to like that.

"How's it looking Shepard?"

"Well Captain, we're missing about a days-worth of meals and all the silverware. Besides that, we have everything else. Well, besides most the chairs."

"Yeah, well, just be grateful the table's bolted down."

"Indeed I am, Captain."

Zoe walked in just then.

"Zoe, how's the cargo?"

"Not good Captain. Everything we belted down is here, but the cargo we got from Aberdeen is gone."

Mal muttered some Chinese. "He's not going to be happy."

Simon ran in to the kitchen. "Has anyone seen River?"

More Chinese from Mal. "You lost her?"

"I—I just. I turned my back and she was gone."

"Where have you checked?" Zoe asked.

"All of downstairs."

Kaylee and Jayne walked in.

"Kaylee! Please tell me you have some good news."

Kaylee smiled. "She's ready to fly Cap'n! Just as soon as we get that hole fixed." She pointed to the opening in the wall that was covered with the weapons chest.

"I just might be able to help with that."

The crew spun around to look at the doorway. Standing in the threshold was Sherlock with a gun pointed at River's head. She stood casually, almost bored. She studied her fingernails.

"River!" Simon took a step forward just as John appeared behind Sherlock. He lowered his weapon at Simon.

"Don't."

Every weapon the crew had was now aimed at Sherlock and John.

River looked up and smiled. Simon knew that look. This was her plan. He sighed and dropped his head into his hand.

"What do you want?" Mal asked.

Sherlock smiled. "To help you. And since we're still trading information, who ripped the hole in your ship?"

Mal sighed. Then steadied his gaze on Sherlock and said, "Charles Augustus Magnussen."

**Please tell me what you think! Also updating is going to be a bit random. My life is really busy and hectic right now but I will update when I can. The best way to know when a new chapter comes out is by following this story. Thank you again!**


	8. Chapter 8

Mal could have sworn that Sherlock paled at the mention of the name.

"Magnussen. You're sure. What proof do you have?"

"Why? You know him?" Zoe asked.

"Answer my question first," Sherlock replied.

"Get the gun away from Doc and River and we will," Mal said with an even voice.

Sherlock glanced at the gun in his hand as if he did not know where it pointed. It was still aimed at River. Sherlock turned and looked at John's gun, glanced at where it was pointing, saw it was focused on Simon, and nodded to John. Both lowered their weapons.

When Mal remained silent, Sherlock impatiently stated, "Now, if you please."

"Right. I don't got proof. All I know is that two different offers came up on a bit of cargo we had. One of them was Magnussen."

Sherlock nodded. "And the other?"

"A man I've worked with before. Now answer our question. You know this man?"

Sherlock sighed. He was not going to get any more information at this time. "Yes, I know _of_ him. He's a criminal that no one has been able to convict. He is guilty of theft, embezzlement, bribery, murder, and countless other crimes."

"If you know he is guilty of all that, why haven't you arrested him yet?" Simon asked.

"We have no proof," Sherlock said simply. "and we didn't have his location." He smiled. "That is, until now. Captain, I propose a trade. Your ship, crew, and freedom, in exchange for Magnussen."

Mal gave a short laugh, "Ha! Okay. Under what authority can you make that agreement? Because, in case you've forgotten, you're a hostage. In my ship. Under my authority. Don't make deals you can't keep."

"Oh, I intend to keep this one," Sherlock replied.

"Really? How?" Mal asked, almost uninterested.

"Connections."

"What connections?"

"My brother. He practically runs the Space Station England. He's wanted Magnussen for a while."

"Sherlock, what are you doing?" John whispered.

"Trust me, this will work."

"He's telling the truth," Simon told Mal. "His brother has a high position in the government. A few years ago he took control of the Space Station England."

Mal weighed his options. "How can I be sure your brother, or you for that matter, will stick to your end of the deal?"

"Yeah, how can we be sure you won't arrest us too?" Jayne demanded.

"I can assure you that my brother would rather let a few smugglers go free, for a while at least, if it meant putting Magnussen behind bars."

Mal continued to sort out the pros and cons.

"What other choice do we got, Cap'n?" Kaylee asked.

"Not much Kaylee. You still got that com?"

Kaylee nodded.

"Hand it over."

She handed it to Mal who tossed it to Sherlock. "Call your brother."

"Wait," Zoe intervened. "Where's my husband?"

Jayne looked around, as if suddenly realizing Wash was not there.

When Sherlock did not answer Zoe continued. "I noticed right away he wasn't with you. Where is he?"

"In the closet I was locked in," John replied.

"If you don't mind Captain."

"Go ahead."

Zoe walked by John, got the keys, and walked down the hallway to the closet.

Sherlock watched her walk away. Her confidant manner was a show. She was worried Sherlock would not follow through. Her getting her husband was only half the reason for leaving. She left just in case they had to shoot Sherlock or John. She would not be back for a while, but she would not be far.

He turned back around and faced the barrel of a gun. Mal had come to stand right next to him.

"Call him," Mal said simply.

Sherlock turned the com on, pushed a couple of buttons, and waited a minute. Then someone answered.

"Hello?"

"Hello Brother dear."

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Inara asked Mal nervously.

The crew and the two hostages were standing in the cargo bay. Mycroft had pulled some strings and they were getting escorted out… in a federal shuttle.

"I sure hope so," Mal responded.

Zoe had come back with Wash when Mal called for her and told her the plan. Wash had explained what had happened. While he was guarding Sherlock and John, River walked up and snatched the keys from him. Before he could react she had kicked him hard in the chest, sending him flying against the door John was locked in. While Wash was distracted, River had unlocked Sherlock, who in turn had pushed Wash into the now vacant closet and River locked the door. River gave the appropriate key to Sherlock and he had freed John.

John had looked back and forth between River and Sherlock, then asked, "What's going on."

"I don't rightly know," Sherlock had replied, studying River.

"You need to help us out," River said simply. She then handed Sherlock a gun and stood in front of him, facing the direction of the kitchen.

Wash banged on the door and muffled demands filtered through.

John looked to Sherlock for direction and noticed his friend's eyes moving rapidly. Sherlock was forming a plan.

"Sherlock—"

Sherlock led River forward and said simply, "Follow my lead."

John had.

A loud clank suddenly came from the kitchen. Mal looked back and saw smoke pouring through the doorway. Ten armed Alliance Officers ran through. The whole crew put their hands above their heads. John and Sherlock stood off to the side. At least ten officers surrounded the crew, taking their weapons. Two others stood next to John and Sherlock while the remaining one opened the door.

All according to plan.

The crew was escorted out the door one by one, all with hands above their heads. No funny business, no looking around, just follow the person ahead of you. Just follow the plan.

Mal had exited Serenity first. The officer before him walked out boldly and straight to an open shuttle. Despite himself, Mal glanced around. They were in a large white hanger full of officers. He saw Lestrade and Donovan staring at them. Donovan was smirking. He stepped into the shuttle. Two long rows of seats stretched the length of both walls. He was pushed to the very front of the shuttle, since he had entered from the back. He was pushed roughly into the corner seat closest to the cockpit. A seatbelt and a pair of handcuffs were attached to his chair, which were immediately placed around his waist and wrists. He looked up at his crew being shoved into various seats. He noticed that the officers put the crew in every other seat, leaving an empty seat between for the officers to sit in. Once everyone was in the shuttle, the doors closed and the engine turned on. Right before they lifted off, the officers handcuffed Sherlock and John to their chairs. Sherlock rolled his eyes and John looked confused.

"I'm sorry, but—"

"Orders," the officer said simply, almost sympathetically.

Mal smiled.

Everything according to plan.

Mal heard a pair of doors opening and the shuttle flew through. Based on the sound, they were flying within the space station.

They flew in silence. Shepard sat across from Mal, eyes closed, probably praying. Next to Shepard, not including the officer, sat Wash. Next was Inara, then Kaylee, then Zoe, then Sherlock. Next to Mal was Simon, then Jayne, then River. Jayne did not look comfortable with River right next to him. Her casual confidence was a little unnerving for him. Next to River was John.

A few minutes later the shuttle landed and the back opened.

"Brother dear, what have I told you about getting into trouble?" Mycroft asked.


	9. Chapter 9

Everyone was released from their handcuffs and escorted from the shuttle. Mal started to speak but Mycroft held up his hand.

"All in good time, Captain. As for now we shall go into the details."

They were led down a short hallway and into a large room. The room was exquisitely decorated. Dark wood bookshelves, countless books, plush carpets, big comfy chairs, and even little tables for tea.

The crew gawked at the décor.

"Wow," Kaylee dragged out.

"It's like something right out of history," Zoe muttered.

"This…" Simon took in the sight. "This is incredible. How many—"

"Four thousand, two hundred and eighty-three," River stated wide-eyed.

Mycroft stopped in his tracks, turning to stare ate River.

"Eight-four," he corrected.

She shook her head. "That one's missing," she pointed to the shelf by the door. Mycroft and Sherlock turned to see.

"She's right," Sherlock muttered.

"I must have that man fired," Mycroft rolled his eyes.

"Which one?" Sherlock asked.

"The new one."

"Ah."

"Why are we here and where's my ship?" Mal interjected.

"So impatient," Mycroft sighed as he sat in a chair. His shoulders moved as he got more comfortable. He motioned to the others and they all sat in various chairs. Except Jayne who remained ready for a fight. Just in case.

"Well?"

"Your ship is being repaired as we speak," Mycroft answered. "Your pantries are being restocked, and the cargo bay necessities are being replaced. Do you know why?"

"Why." It wasn't voiced as a question.

"Because you are going to go straight to your employer, explain you lost the cargo, and tell them who took it."

"Why?"

"Because Niska will lead you straight to Magnussen."

Zoe inhaled sharply. She and Mal exchanged glances. They had not told anyone who wanted the cargo for a better deal.

"Oh don't look so surprised. It was fairly obvious," Mycroft replied in a bored manner.

"How?" Simon asked.

"You mentioned Niska when we first met," Sherlock answered.

"We've known Niska has been involved with Magnussen before. We suspect that they went separate ways because of this cargo. Niska knows where Magnussen is. Sherlock is going to sneak aboard his ship and be led to him. We'll finally have him behind bars."

"And you'll let us go?" Mal asked.

"For now," Mycroft replied.

"Well that's comforting," Wash muttered.

"Give us a guarantee that you won't come after us or come looking for us," Mal said calmly.

"Or what?" Mycroft asked, amused.

"Or we won't do it."

"You would rather be taken prisoner now?"

"We'll sabotage your plan. Magnussen happens to have a few good offers left."

"No you won't."

"Why not?"

"Because you want to do this."

Mal became silent.

"You want to do this, because you don't want Magnussen free. You want him taken down. He's already blackmailing you."

Mal's eyes narrowed. "How the heck do you know that."

"Simple. The tone in which you refer to him is covered up hostility. What does he have on you? What's your pressure point…"

"Like I'd tell you."

"Fair enough. Keep your secrets, I have no use for them now."

The talking ceased as each though over the conversation. Kaylee was lost to the world, wrapped up in a fuzzy blanket and sunk deep into an green armchair. Her expression was pure bliss. Wash and Zoe were next to each other on a red couch. Simon and River were inspecting the bookshelves while Shepard sat attentively in a purple chair. Inara was perfectly at home on a deep cherry sofa bed and Jayne had finally given in to the mustard colored recliner. He never looked back.

"One condition," Mal stated.

Mycroft raised an eyebrow.

"You take Niska as well. Make him tell secrets, torture him, kill him."

"Put him behind bars at the very least," Wash spoke up.

"My my, quite the troubled past I see," Mycroft replied. "Very well, after we have Magnussen we shall take Niska. Anything else?"

"Can I have a limited edition triceratops?" Wash asked.

"You want a dinosaur toy?" Mycroft asked unbelieving.

"I want a gold watch," Zoe stated.

"Can I have this blanket?" Kaylee asked excitedly.

"I wanna big box of knives," Jayne said.

"If it's not too much trouble, may I have a fresh notebook?" Shepard wondered.

"Violet incense," Inara ordered as if in a restaurant.

"May I have a copy of this book?" Simon asked.

"A giant paperclip," River demanded.

John raised an eyebrow and a corner of Sherlock's mouth turned up.

Mycroft shook his head. "Fine, yes all fine." Something from his pocket beeped. He took out the small object, looked at it, then put it away. "Your ship is ready."

The crew of Serenity, along with Sherlock and John, drifted through the silence of space. They all knew the plan. Meet Niska at the rendezvous, explain that Magnussen had a better deal, and say that he took the cargo without paying. They would then state that they want to team up with Niska to catch Magnussen. Niska would get Magnussen and the cargo, the crew would get paid.

Simple.

A gamble.

What could go wrong?


	10. Chapter 10

Serenity slowly pulled out of the Space Station England, the crew spread throughout the ship.

Wash was on the Bridge with Zoe, his new limited edition triceratops placed proudly on the dashboard. Zoe leaned against his chair, spinning the gold watch absentmindedly around her wrist.

Mal was pacing in his bunk, running his fingers through his hair every so often. He mumbled, weighing consequences with actions, his hand constantly returning to the gun strapped to his hip.

Jayne sat at the kitchen table sorting through his new knives.

"Ooh, that's a nice one. Wow, ain't she a beauty. Hey, I might use this now."

Shepard was in his bunk slowly filling the blank pages of his new notebook. It had a leather cover with intricate patterns swirling across. At first glance it appeared to be a solar system. Look at it another way and it was a bouquet of flowers. He smiled, enjoying the paper's texture as he ran his fingers over the fine pages. Thoughts, ideas, dreams, and images all flowed through his hand with the satisfying scratch of pen on paper.

Inara placed the incense in a cabinet with the others, ready to be used when needed.

Simon sat on the couch across from the medical center Kaylee sat next to him, leaning on his shoulder with her legs pulled up under her, reading along with him. Her blanket was draped over their shoulders.

River sat across from Jayne in the kitchen, bending and reshaping the giant paperclip into a large circle. She had asked for one the size of her forearm and she had gotten it. When they handed it to her Zoe could have sworn Wash's heart skipped a beat. He looked on the verge of demanding a trade, but had stayed loyal to the dinosaur.

Sherlock and John sat in chairs between Jayne and River, tied to them. Mal had opted for the closets again, but the rest of the crew thought it unnecessary. So there they sat, watching Jayne lay out all his knives and River play with a paperclip.

They sat there for a while, the only sound knives hitting the table and the occasional grind of metal against wood when River used the chair to bend the paperclip.

John sat there, rotating his wrists under the ropes, adjusting his position, glancing warily at the growing number of weapons on the table.

Sherlock stared off into space, lost deep within his Mind Palace.

John glanced over at River who was currently folding the ends of the clip into complicated braids. He watched her, fascinated.

"Wh- What, exactly, are you making? If you don't mind me asking."

She did not look up. "A belt."

He was taken off-guard at the emotionless delivery. He was used to Sherlock being… robotic. But he did not dream there was anyone else in the universe so much like Sherlock.

"So, um, what was the Academy Sherlock referred to earlier?" He asked uncertainly, testing the waters so to speak.

She remained focused on her project. "They played with my brain, made me different."

"How- how so?"

The sudden deep sound of Sherlock's voice startled him. "They wanted to unlock nervous centers of her brain, make her more in tuned with the world around her. They believed that they could create a psychic or something close to it, and they succeeded."

"Not entirely," River folded the thin metal around her fingers, creating small loops.

"How so?" Sherlock asked.

"They wanted someone who could tell them secrets they would understand. They almost made me mute." She looked up now, "I can see everything, but I say nothing."

"You say a great deal if you ask me," Jayne spoke up.

"We weren't," Sherlock responded curtly.

"You seem fairly articulate to me," John said, glancing between Jayne and River. Jayne had an annoyed glint in his eye, which worried John. He glanced at the knives again.

"It requires an immense amount of effort," she stated, an almost angry edge to her reply.

With that final statement she stood, placing the circle around her waist and connecting the clasps she had woven out of the ends. The result was an intricate pattern that was perfectly symmetrical any way you looked at it.

"Party's over," Mal declared, walking into the room. The ship jolted as they passed through the atmosphere. "We're approaching the rendezvous."

The moon was dry and dusty, towering rock formations dotting the landscape. The stone was a deep red, streaked with subtle pinks and rich purples. The sun looked almost brown through the thick atmosphere.

Serenity landed under a cliff overhang not far from the rendezvous, but far enough so that Mal, Zoe, Jayne, and Sherlock would have to take a shuttle.

Once the ship had settled, Zoe walked into the kitchen.

"Come on, Jayne," Mal commanded.

Jayne nodded and reached for a knife with a long thin blade.

"No weapons, we go unarmed," Mal stated.

Jayne looked longingly at the knife but followed Mal towards the shuttle. Zoe untied Sherlock. He stood, rubbing his wrists, and nodded his thanks.

As they were leaving the kitchen John said, "Sherlock."

Sherlock turned.

"Be safe."

Sherlock nodded once then left the room.

Wash suddenly ran through the doorway, across the room, and kissed his wife.

"Don't make him mad, alright?"

Zoe smiled.

"Because he gets kinda mean when he's mad. Believe me, I know. You know he torched me once."

Zoe kissed her husband. "I know, Sweetie. I got you back, remember?" she smiled again and walked into the shuttle.

"Doc!" Mal shouted from the shuttle.

"Yes, Captain?" Simon called, coming up the stairs.

He stuck his head out the door. "Make sure River doesn't do anything loud. Wash! Shut down everything by the air. I'm sure they've got sweepers and I'd rather them not find you."

"Sure thing, Mal."

Mal nodded then disappeared into the shuttle. Zoe climbed in and shut the door.

Kaylee ran the engine room and shut everything off. After that she and Simon went up to the kitchen and sat with John and River. Wash stayed on the bridge.

"Would you mind untying me?" John asked. "My arms are getting stiff."

"Uh, sure. Yeah, okay," Simon jumped up and untied him.

"Thanks," John said, rubbing his wrists.

Zoe drove the shuttle through the thick air. Mal stood behind her, watching monitors and the sky for signs of trouble. Jayne stood next to Sherlock just in case the detective tried anything.

They flew in silence until Mal said, "There."

He pointed to the top of a plateau where a large ship was sitting. They landed next to it, connecting the shuttle so they did not have to face the harsh wind that had kicked up. As Zoe checked over the controls Mal said, "Okay, we get in, explain Magnussen has the goods, get Niska to go get him, and we're good."

"And I will disappear," Sherlock said quietly. He climbed into a hidden cabinet they had installed and the rest of the crew stood before the door.

The door was pushed open, reviling five armed guards.

"We're unarmed," Mal declared as he and the crew held up their hands. They exited the shuttle single file. The biggest one, obviously in charge, looked them over.

"Where are the goods?"

"We need to speak with Niska," Mal replied.

The guard looked at him suspiciously, then into the shuttle.

"Search it," he said curtly.

Two of the guards pushed passed the crew and into the shuttle. The crew refused to even glance at each other, not wanting to give anything away.

"Nothing looks suspicious," one of the guards in the shuttle said after a short search.

The leader nodded once and walked down the hall. The other four followed, pushing the crew forward.

They walked down a wide hall, passing a few doors. Mal thought he heard muffled screaming coming from one, but he continued walking.

They reached the door at the end of the hall and the leader opened it.

"Malcom Reynolds," the heavily accented voice said as the door swung open. "Tell me you do job for me."

They walked into the spacious room. The tile floor was a rich brown with white splotches. Over to the right was a window bordered by cherry wood. A big, green potted plant stood in the corner. Mal thought this odd. Niska was not the kind of person who cared for anything, let alone a plant. Niska was sitting behind a wooden desk looking at a map.

"It's a bit more complicated than that," Mal answered.

"Oh, that is… Unfortunate," Niska replied, folding the map.

"Let us explain."

"Nothing to explain. I tell you, 'bring me cargo' and you no bring me cargo. Your reputation, Malcom Reynolds, is looking not so solid."

"With all due respect, you weren't the only one asking for this particular box," Mal spoke up, eyeing the guards who were looking ready for a fight.

"Really? And who asked for my cargo?"

"A man named Magnussen."

Niska's jaw tightened but he said nothing. Mal took the silence as permission to continue.  
"He found us the same way you did, through reputation. Said he wanted a particular box. We said it was already sold. He offered more than you, but decided against backstabbing. We said no deal. Then when we were flying here he attacked us and took the cargo."

"So, you lost it," Niska stated.

"We were robbed. But we're willing to steal it back. We've gotten word that you know where he is. As I've experienced firsthand, you don't like being crossed. I think, if you don't mind me saying, that we should go get him. You can do whatever you like with him, keep the cargo, pay us, and we all get off better. Except for Magnussen."

Niska sighed, "Yes, this is true. I know where he is." He slowly stood and stepped towards them. "However, we have a… difficult relationship. I promise not to interfere with him, he do the same for me."

"Well it sounds like he just went against your deal," Mal brought up.

Niska considered everything Mal said, pacing back and forth. "No," he decided. "I will not go. But you can. I will tell you where he is, you get for me the cargo."

"And you'll still pay us?" Jayne asked.

Mal hissed for him to be silent.

"How about, I let you live?" Niska counteroffered.

"Sounds fair," Mal said quickly. "We'll do it."

"One last thing," Niska continued. "I need assurance you won't take his deal."

Mal hesitated. "What do you want?"

At that moment someone entered the room and walked up to Niska. He whispered in Niska's ear. Niska smiled. Mal got worried.

"I have what I need. You will get for me my cargo, and you will come back."

Mal nodded. "And the coordinates?"

"Already in your ship," Niska smiled.

Mal's throat went dry.

"You've been on my ship?"

Niska nodded. "That is where I get assurance you will come back. Goodbye now."

Niska sat back down and the crew was escorted back to the shuttle. They climbed in and the moment the door shut they scrambled. Zoe rushed to the dash and pulled the shuttle away as quickly as she could. Jayne checked the cabinet where Sherlock was hiding, and Mal radioed Wash.

"Wash, come in. Come in Wash."

He did not answer.

"The guy's gone," Jayne spoke up.

"It's alright, all according to plan," Mal replied absentmindedly. "Wash, answer me!"

Mal muttered in Chinese as Zoe pulled away from Niska's ship. They sped through the air.

"Can't she go any faster?" Mal asked.

"I'm trying, Captain."

Mal clicked the radio button again. "Wash! Someone! Anyone!"

No answer.

They finally got back to Serenity and landed the shuttle. Mal wrenched the door open and ran out. "Hello?"

"Mal?" Came Inara's voice from the cargo bay. Mal looked over the railing, Zoe and Jayne now standing next to him.

Wash's voice from the cargo bay.

Inara was standing In the middle of the cargo bay, her hands tied to a chain suspended from the ceiling. She had a few bruises on her arms but looked otherwise unhurt.

Zoe ran down the stairs, slamming a button on the wall. The chain lowered and Zoe quickly untied her. She sighed in relief and rubbed her arms.

"What happened? Where's everyone else?" Mal demanded.

Inara sighed. "Some men surprised us, Niska's. They came out of nowhere and grabbed everyone. They left me but grabbed everyone else." She hesitated, "They may have left Simon but I'm not sure."

"You're sure they took everyone?"

"Yes, I was right here. They left through that door," Inara pointed.

Mal groaned, rubbing his forehead. "Well, I guess we've got to go get Magnussen."


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Sorry for the late update! I'll try to be better from now on. **

**And thank you to all my readers **** I really do appreciate you, even though I update once a month (usually). If you have any ideas at all (scene ideas, something someone could say, a planet with interesting terrain, anything at all) then please tell me in a review. I would greatly appreciate it. **

Mal raced up to the bridge, flying by the signs of struggle. The fallen chairs, the emptied cabinets, the torn blanket thrown across the couch. He reached the dashboard and looked at the navigation system, finding the coordinates Niska had promised.

"You know where this is?" Mal asked Zoe as she appeared at his side.

She remained silent as she searched over a map on the dashboard. "I know there was a moon by there that failed terraforming," she said after a while, "The atmosphere was deadly. According to records the Alliance destroyed it."

"Guess they didn't," Mal muttered as he began turning dials. He flipped on the com. "Hang on," he warned what remained of his crew and they took off.

Kaylee picked her head off of Simon's shoulder and glanced around.

"What's wrong?" Simon asked, looking up from his book.

"Somethin's wrong," she murmured. She stood smoothly, letting the blanket drop from her shoulders. She quietly sprinted to the hallway, pressing her back against the wall. Cautiously she peeked around the edge.

"Kaylee?" Simon implored but snapped his mouth shut when he heard footsteps.

Kaylee suddenly turned and ran to Simon, worry evident on her face. "There's people here!" She hissed, "They've got guns and ain't happy."

She grabbed his arm and pulled him around the medical bay, the blanket and book falling to the floor. They crouched down beneath the window of the medical bay, Simon glancing around the corner.

Two men wearing simple armor walked in stealthily, each carrying a gun and one holding a large coil of rope.

Kaylee's fingernails dug into Simon's hand as her breath became shallow. Simon wrapped his free arm around her, trying to quiet and calm her.

One of the men motioned to the fallen blanket. The other nodded and both proceeded toward Simon and Kaylee's hiding place.

Kaylee was shaking now, doing everything she could not to make a noise. Simon stole a glance around the corner, pulling his head back a fraction of a second before one of the men saw him. They were close. Quickly but quietly Simon slipped off his shoes, motioning for Kaylee to do the same. She did not understand but pulled off her flip-flops. Simon slowly stood, still keeping below the window, and threw his shoe behind the men when they were not looking. In the moment they spun around Simon pulled Kaylee up the stairs as fast as they could. Both sped up the stairs with unusual quiet, thanks to their lack of shoes, but they could not make it to the top before they were seen.

The two men ran after them, guns raised.

"Run!" Simon yelled, nearly lifting Kaylee up the last few stairs.

Kaylee did as she was told, sprinting through the dining room toward the cockpit, startling those sitting at the table. Simon ran after her, swinging the door shut behind him a split second before the other men passed through. Before he could lock it the two men slammed their shoulders into the door, causing Simon to stumble backward. The moment he was not holding the door shut they shoved it open. Simon threw himself at the door but one of the guns prevented it from closing. Simon struggled to keep the door shut as much as possible but could not fight against the two other men. Slowly one was able to get his arm through to aim his gun at Simon.

"Look out!" John shouted as he lunged at the man. He pulled the gun away from Simon right before it fired. John stabbed at the exposed arm of the enemy with one of Jayne's knives. The man cried out and pulled his arm free of the door. Simon shoved it closed.

"Grenade!" John shouted, pointing out the small bomb rolling from the door. The other man had thrown it through before is colleague had reclaimed his arm.

They dove for cover as it exploded. The two men jumped through the door as John lie sprawled on the floor stunned. Simon appeared unconscious.

"Up here!" one of the men yelled out as he cornered River who had not made it to the cockpit. The other aimed at Simon and John. Not long after five more men ran through the open door toward the cockpit.

"Don't try anything," the man guarding the men warned as John sat up, rubbing his head.

John ignored him and looked to Simon. With a start he noticed Simon's head was bleeding. John tried to move toward him but the gun aimed at his head clicked.

"Don't move."

"He's injured."

"You think I care?"

The cockpit door had been closed and locked by Wash.

"What the heck is going on?" Wash demanded, peering through the door window as chaos erupted in the dining room.

"There's men with guns," Kaylee had explained breathlessly, leaning against the dashboard.

"Well, where are our men with guns?" Wash exclaimed, flinching as something exploded loudly. "Who are they?"

"Maybe Niska's?"

Wash looked through the window just as the five other men entered the dining area.

"Yeah, they're Niska's. I recognize that one," he pointed at him as he turned back to Kaylee. "He's the one who tied me up. You know, before I was tortured."

"Tortured? You think maybe he'll torture us?"

"Very possibly," Wash affirmed. When he saw how scared Kaylee looked he added, "Maybe they won't torture us. Who knows? Maybe they've come to give us ice cream."

Just then one of the men banged on the door.

"Sorry, no one home!" Wash yelled back.

"Open this door!"

"Leave a message!"

It was silent for a moment while Wash glanced back at Kaylee. "He walked away."

Then a high-pitched sawing noise began and the men began to saw through the door.

"Hey! Mal's not going to like that. He gets real angry!" Wash shouted at the men. To Kaylee he whispered, "Go down those stairs and hide. We've got some boxes, not all of them full. Hide."

She nodded but before she could leave the door slammed open, revealing two men with guns aiming right at Kaylee and Wash.

They're hands were tied behind their backs and they were led out and down to the cargo bay. River, Book, and John were all tied as well. One of the men was tying Inara to a chain hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the room.

"You tell your captain that we work for Niska, alright?"

"You won't get away with this, Mal will get everyone back!"

"Just tell him."

As they were led out Kaylee suddenly exclaimed, "Where's Simon?"

"They left him upstairs. He was injured," John explained.

"Simon's hurt?"

"Let's go," one of the men demanded, shoving Kaylee forward.

They were all led out of Serenity and taken aboard another ship.

"Mal?" Inara cried from the dining area. "Simon's here!"

"Zoe, take over," Mal commanded as he jumped up.

When he got to the dining room Simon was sitting up and Inara was holding a rag against his head.

"You good, Doc?" Mal kneeled down.

Simon gave a half-hearted smile that quickly vanished. "What happened?"

"Niska wanted some assurance that we'd come back with the goods. Guess that assurance is the crew," Mal stood, addressing his remaining crew. "And we're going to get them back."


End file.
